As Canada welcomed the FIFA World Cup to home soil for the first time, one of the country’s most celebrated athletes was cheering from the sidelines.
Fresh off leading the Montreal Victoire to a Walter Cup championship and earning the 2026 Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP award, hockey icon Marie-Philip Poulin has joined Canada Soccer’s Iconic XI ambassador program, lending her voice—and her unmistakable leadership—to one of the biggest sporting moments in Canadian history.
The initiative, created by the Canada Soccer Foundation in partnership with Infinity &, brings together some of Canada’s most influential names in sport, entertainment, and culture to rally support behind the Canadian Men’s National Team during the FIFA World Cup. Poulin joins an impressive roster that includes Alanis Morissette, Shawn Mendes, Dan Levy, Simu Liu, Shay Mitchell, Georges St-Pierre, Andre De Grasse, Sidney Crosby, and Summer McIntosh.
For Poulin, the opportunity was an easy yes.
“While representing Canada throughout my hockey career, I have witnessed the unique power global sporting events have in bringing people together,” she says. “I am proud to stand alongside my fellow Iconic XI members, and united with fans from every corner of Canada, to celebrate our Men’s National Team.”
It’s a sentiment that comes from experience.
Few athletes understand the emotional weight of wearing the maple leaf better than Poulin. With three Olympic gold medals, an Olympic silver medal, 13 IIHF Women’s World Championship medals, and seven 4 Nations Cup medals to her name, she has spent her career delivering in the moments that matter most.
And when it comes to what Canada’s first men’s World Cup on home soil could mean for future generations, Poulin believes the impact will extend far beyond soccer.
“There is no better feeling than playing for Canada on home soil,” she says. “When the younger generation can see athletes perform at high levels, it plants a seed in their minds that they can achieve that goal as well. When you witness something, you start believing that it’s feasible.”
She points to the lasting legacy of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics as proof.
“Look at the impact that the Olympic Games in Vancouver had on developing the next generation of Olympic athletes. It was tremendous.”
That belief—that visibility creates possibility—is a theme Poulin returns to often.
“As I always say, when you see it, you can dream it and you can be it,” she explains. “This is what we are now seeing with women’s soccer and women’s hockey. Little girls can now see that being a professional in their sports is possible.”
The connection between hockey and soccer may not seem obvious at first glance, but Poulin sees a common thread: Canadian fans.
“Every athlete and every team that has a chance to wear the Canadian logo is lucky because we have the most passionate fans,” she says. “It is a privilege to get to be inspired by them.”
That support, she notes, goes far beyond wins and losses.
“I have seen fans cheer on athletes win or lose, and this is the kind of support that brings out the best in athletes.”
As Canada’s men’s team stepped onto one of the world’s biggest sporting stages, Poulin’s advice was simple: stay present.
“Enjoy every moment, be fully in the present and notice the small things around you,” she says. “Your teammates, your coaches, the crowd, your family. Think about everything that needed to happen along the way to get you to this moment. You need to soak it all in.”
It’s wisdom earned through years of high-pressure competition. Though fans often refer to her as “Captain Clutch,” Poulin laughs at the nickname.
“I don’t specially like to be called Captain Clutch,” she says. “I feel like it isolates me from the team and I am a team player above everything else.”
Instead, she credits preparation.
“The most prepared you are, the better you will be in high-pressure moments. You need to work the hardest when no one is looking.”
Perhaps that’s why supporting the Men’s National Team feels so meaningful to her right now.
Fresh off her own championship season, Poulin understands firsthand what encouragement can do.
“I know what support brings,” she says. “Sometimes, having others cheer you on is what makes the difference in your confidence or your grit and desire to be the best that you can be. I have been fortunate to have many people support me and support us as a team. It’s time to give back some of that energy.”
As Canada embraces its role as World Cup host, Poulin hopes the tournament leaves behind something bigger than a final score.
“I hope Canadians remember how fortunate we all were to see nations come together on one of the biggest stages in the world and deliver amazing athletic performances,” she says.
And in true Marie-Philip Poulin fashion, her final thought isn’t about trophies or medals.
“I think that we have already won greatly as a country,” she says. “Canada is a great country and we are lucky to live here.”
This summer, as the world turns its eyes to Canada, one of the nation’s greatest champions is reminding us that the most powerful victories aren’t always measured on the scoreboard. Sometimes, they’re measured in inspiration.
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